Thursday, 23 August 2012

I crocheted this mouse today. Not what I should have been doing, but an achievement of sorts. I used this pattern. I'd like one with a fatter body and more pointy nose so will have another go with some modifications. I'm trying to think of some new things that are quick to make that we can sell at the C******** fundraising stalls (perhaps a little early for mentioning here!)

Now for a large splurge of photos from August, diary keeping hasn't been great so far this month...

Our first butterfly has hatched. We've put in some flowers and sugar water but there's not much action at the moment. Talking of flowers, I had a quick wander round the garden with the camera today as I like to have a record of the garden through the year.

Beastie on lace cap hydrangea.

Clematis from below.

The cat. Rather too many leaves lying on the grass now for my liking.

Our other clematis. Both are have more flower heads than normal this year.

I bought a climbing rose, inspired by the ones we saw on our walk to the beach while on our holidays.

Now to a little walk I had with the children just before the end of the school holidays. It was really a walk to the woods, but when we got there the neighbouring field looked so tempting and golden under the sunny blue sky that we ended up spending most of our time in the field instead.

Batman came too.

Ahhhh, we had a lovely view. the grass hadn't yet been cut so we sat down for a while. A & N enjoyed making little dens.

Lots of ladybirds about.

Orange hawkweed.

Back through the woods.

Passing the street next to the woods we noticed some friends out making chalk pictures on the pavement. A drew round my shadow. It was getting late as you can tell by the shadow length.

Still homeward bound we pass this cat which we often see here. When it was just a kitten A named it KissKissCuddles, so though not it's real name that's what we call it.

Home now, N's art work, a stegosaurus money box.

Back in time, the butterflies as caterpillars.

Back out to the garden (all over the place here, such fun(!))

Finally we spot a peacock butterfly in the garden though it chose a rather weedy spot to pose.

I have some helpers to paint the shed. I've opted for this rather dull grey as our usual pale sage green shade seems to be no longer available.

Rainbow Crush and Meadow Song look on.

Garden produce.

Some of the courgette was used on a pizza topping. Other ways of using it up are required, I'm thinking a courgette and chocolate cake sounds nice...

I made the rest of the rhubarb from the garden into more jam. This time it's "Ginger & Rhubarb" as the ginger quotient was a lot higher than for the "Rhubarb and Ginger".

The same dough recipe as I used for the pizzas can be used for these loaves which are initially made flat like a pizza then spread with garlic butter and rolled up into loaf shapes. Tasty!

Pretty sky.

Another old fat caterpillar pic.

Small tortoiseshells have been the most commonly spotted butterflies in the garden so far this year. No red admirals at all yet.

Yummy peas, still being picked, late this year after the cold July.

One of the rowan trees in the garden. We have four. One is yet to have any berries at all. The two older ones have more berries than I've ever noticed before, and "something" has happened to our third rowan. It usually has pink berries which fade to white over the winter and are most pretty, but there's no sign of any berries and the leaves have fallen already.

First attempt at jam tarts. The children were doing a jigsaw (a rare event) which featured Fifi and jam tarts, the challenge was on, I think we did OK.

Muffins, forget what type but liked the photo.

A sunny morning in the living room, I love golden light you get early on a good morning at this time of year.

This years window boxes, at their peak some time earlier in the month, starting to like a bit more tatty now.

Mini Lindt chocolates. I was given these as a late birthday present and ate them all in one night. I daren't have boxes of chocolate in the house usually.

Now to "The Do" I have mentioned before which was necessitating much tidying and cleaning (we had overnight guests for the first time for years, eeek!). Earlier in the month we hosted a little party for my parents 50th wedding anniversary. Here are some photos...

All quiet before everyone arrives. I think we're ready, even got the sun to shine!

Balloons!

Cake made by my niece.

Sugar rose close-up.

Nibbles.

Main courses.

Puddings...

Everybody brought something to eat so I can't take credit for all the food! And all had a good time I believe.

Right, it's all a little rushed for which I apologise. I'm finding blogging takes up more time than I want it to at the moment. I'm a little remiss in my commenting too, if you're on my favourite blogs list on the sidebar then please know I do visit every post even if I don't leave a message.

Monday, 20 August 2012

Straw bales. I'm heading over to climb the hill behind the village you can see in the distance here.

The usual view, always appreciated whilst puffing up the hill.

Looking a little further to the right (and with some zooming) you can see the field dotted with bales from the first photo.

As I get to the top of the hill I realise I've made a bad route decision...

All is shrouded in wet cloud. It's raining up here.

One tree hill, seen beyond silhouetted rowan branches.

Wet...

Wet...

Wet.

Time to get down from the high ground and away from the clouds.

I stop on the steep descent to watch the swallows.

Always a pleasure.

Umbellifer, seed pods at the ready.

Pretty bend in the road.

Another hill to descend.

Now at the bottom. It's still a bit gloomy but at least it's not actually raining any more. I head over towards the loch; I was there recently with N and know that there are many wildfowers to see just now...

Tansy. (I didn't know what this was, after a quick internet search I do now.)

Droplets on blade of grass.

Knapweed, also sporting pretty rain droplets.

More umbellifers.

The same group but with a different camera angle.

Teasel.

There's quite a big clump of it at the loch this year. I like it and am tempted to plant some in the garden though I understand it can spread easily. Has anyone ever tried growing it? Did it get out of hand?

Solitary swan.

Twisted hawthorn.

Ragwort.

Daisy.

Past the folly on the hill.

Rosebay willowherb.

I'm now on the back roads heading home. Past a cow and her calf.

A last look over the fields.

Home. This little birch leaf falls into my path as a push my bike up to the shed. I like how one side is yellow and the other brown.

I mentioned that N and I had visited the loch recently. Here are some photos. It was a sunnier and drier day, though also quite windy.

A view of the wildflowers lining the cyclepath.

Orange beech leaves against green canopy.

Transport.

We're in the nature reserve and saw a fair number of different bird species at the feeders.

Inquisitive duck.

We then stopped at the river for a picnic lunch. It was nice.

I remember being told by teachers never to write "it was nice" as it was lazy and we should make the effort to think of a more descriptive phrase. But it was nice. I shouldn't start a sentence with but either. And and, while I'm at it...

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About Me

I like taking photos. Mainly it seems I take photos of the ever-changing countryside I see on my bike rides and of crocheted things I've made. Plus lots of other random everyday stuff. Thank you for visiting! Anne.